Wuling Well

One of the twenty-eight ancient wells in Hunan, Wuling Well enjoys equal fame with Liuyi Well on Junshan Island of Dongting Lake and Baisha Well in Changsha. It ranks among the Ten Scenic Spots of ancient Duliang, known as the scenic view "Spring Charm of Wuling".

Countless poems and essays about "Spring Charm of Wuling" have been composed through dynasties. My favorite is a seven-character quatrain by Wang Changling, the renowned Tang poet:

Pink peach blossoms bloom, adorning the mild late spring; Sweet clear well water glimmers with fresh floral sheen. East wind sweeps past every tender blossom’s grace, No fisherman comes to seek the hidden paradise’s trace.

Legend has it that this well connects to the Wuling Peach Blossom Spring depicted in Tao Yuanming’s Peach Blossom Spring Record. Peach petals would float up from the well in spring, hence the name Wuling Well. Another tale claims the well links all the way to Emei Mountain; once an oar bearing the inscription "Emei Mountain" drifted out of its waters.

In ancient times, the well yielded a far greater volume of water. Not far uphill once stood the palace of the Prince of Min, a descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang, founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The royal household relied entirely on this well for daily water supply. It is said that romantic princes and nobles of the Min fiefdom often came to the well with palace maids to wash clothes. Back then, the riverside echoed with the rhythmic thud of laundry beaters and peals of laughter, a lively, joyful haven.

The water of Wuling Well is truly a life-giving blessing to ancient Wugang. Local villagers nearby drew all their domestic water from it, and before the 1980s, the Wugang County Party Committee and County Government also depended solely on this well for water. Its water stays warm in winter and cool in summer, with a subtle sweet taste. Visitors are welcome to have a sip